The first big break in the NDA in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 happened on Friday morning, with the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) announcing its withdrawal from the alliance and its intention to move a “no confidence motion” against the Narendra Modi government.
While the BJP struck a defiant note, with spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao saying the break was a means for the party to expand on its own in Andhra Pradesh, other NDA parties expressed support but with some unease.
Promise in the House
“We are in the NDA, we support the government,” said Shiromani Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral. “However, I feel that the parting of ways could have been avoided. In fact, I suggested that the government ask the 15th Finance Commission to review the previous commission’s decision to do away with the award of Special Category Status to a State. The government is anyway prepared to pay out the funds required under the Act, and the promise for the status had been made on the floor of the House by the previous government.” Mr. Gujral earlier also supported the TDP’s demands when Mr. Naidu first raised the issue publicly.
That suggestion has however not been taken on board, but has left allies, especially regional outfits restive. The shadow of the bypoll losses suffered by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh too cast its log shadow over the TDP’s exit. Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan said, “As far as Bihar bypoll is concerned the NDA doesn’t have to worry, but results of U.P. bypolls, especially Gorakhpur being the home turf of the Chief Minister of the State is a cause of worry. The NDA, specifically the BJP needs to rework strategy, more so when you have a huge majority both in U.P. and at the Centre.”
Sena non-committal
The Shiv Sena, which also has sour relations with the BJP, however, has not committed yet on where it stands on the “no confidence motion”.
According to sources Maharashtra Chief Minister and State BJP president Raosaheb Danve met with Shiv Sena leaders to sort the matter out. Union Minister Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena however said that only party chief Uddhav Thackeray would be speaking on the issue on behalf of the party. The Shiv Sena is in coalition with the BJP in the Maharashtra government as well.
The Janata Dal (U) on its part made it clear that it was very much part of the NDA and was not going to support the no confidence motion, but that its demand for SCS was also pending. “We are very much with the NDA though our claims of SCS for Bihar, supported by the BJP and denied by the Raghuram Rajan committee in 2013 still stands,” said JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi.
